US3688698A - Ammunition round - Google Patents

Abstract

A telescoped caseless cartridge of decreased length due to the projectile being contained within the caseless charge. The shorter round facilitates improved storage, reduction of packaging requirements and weapon size and weight, and easier extraction of unfired rounds from the weapon.

Description

United States Patent Quinlan 1 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] AMMUNITION ROUND [72] Inventor: Joseph B. Quinlan, Philadelphia, Pa.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army 22 Filed: Feb. 19,1970

[21] Appl.No.: 12,658

[52 [1.5.01 ..102/3s,102/40,102/DIG.1 51 l nt.Cl ..F42b 5/18 [58] FieldofSearch ..102/38, 40, 43,43 P, 1310.1

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,345,945 lO/1967 Quinlan et a1. 102/38 3,482,516 12/1969 Farmer et a]. ..102/38 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7,193 1891 Great Britain 102/40 Primary Examiner-Robert F. Stahl Att0rney-Harry M. Saragovitz, Edward J; Kelly, Herbert Berl and S. Dubroff [57] ABSTRACT A telescoped caseless cartridge of decreased length due to the projectile being contained within the caseless charge. The shorter round facilitates improved storage, reduction of packaging requirements and weapon size and weight, and easier extraction of unfired rounds from the weapon.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED 5'97? 3.688.688

INVENT JOSEPH B. QUINL BYIW ATTORNEYS! v AMMUNITION ROUND The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to ammunition rounds and, more particularly, to a caseless cartridge.

It is an object of the invention to provide a caseless ammunition cartridge having a minimum overall length.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a cartridge that facilitates improved storage and reduction of packaging requirements.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a cartridge which facilitates a reduction in weapon size and weight, as well as an easier extraction of unfired rounds from the weapon.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a section view of an ammunition round embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. '1 but of a modified cartridge.

' The telescoped caseless ammunition cartridge, posi- I tioned or seated in the gun or barrel chamber (FIG.

1), has an outer cylinder of molded propellent charge 11 made from a single base (energy constituent nitrocellulose) propellant. A substantial portion of the molded charge inner surface length is lined with a propellent support tube 12 made from a double base (energy constituents nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine) propellant. The support tube 12 provides laminar strength to the cartridge and serves as an index for the primer cup 13 that is suitably recessed to contain an explosive charge 14 and a rearmost priming charge 15. Charges l4 and 15 are sealed respectively by an explosive seal 16 and a primer seal 17. The projectile 18 is located entirely within the support tube 12, the forward end of the latter being closed ofi by a forward propellent seal and guide 19 which is seated in the forward end of cylindrical charge 11 against the support tube. The seal and guide 19 is made from single base propellant and has tapered forward surface 20 that matingly seats against a corresponding tapered surface 21 provided in the barrel or gun chamber 10.

In the FIG. 2 modification, wherein like reference numerals denote similar elements of the FIG. 1 construction, the propellant support tube has been eliminated. The cylindrical molded propellant charge 24 has its rearward end provided with an internal annular recess 25 to accomodate or receive the primer cup 13, and its forward outer surface is annularly tapered (at 26) for seating in or against a mating surface 27 provided in barrel chamber 28. The projectile 18 is surrounded by the molded charge 24 and has a thin propellant disc 30 (formed of single base propellant) extending across and sealing the forward end of molded charge 24 forwardly of projectile 18.

Thus, in both constructions, the telescoped arrangement of the projectile in relation to the molded charge minimizes the required length of a given round of ammunition.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I c arm:

1. A telescoped caseless ammunition cartridge comprising,

a cylindrical molded propellent charge,

a projectile located within said molded charge, a forward propellant seal extending across said molded charge forwardly of said projectile, a primer cup extending across said molded charge rearwardly of said projectile, and a propellant support tube lining a predetermined length of said molded charge between said forward propellant seal and primer cup, sad support tube surrounding sad projectile.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said molded charge and forward seal are made from a single base propellant, and said support tube is made from a double base propellant.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said molded charge and forward seal are made from a single base propellant, and said primer cup contains an explosive charge and a priming charge, each of said priming cup charges having a respective seal therefor, said explosive charge seal being positioned rearwardly adjacent a base portion of said projectile.

Claims (3)

1. A telescoped caseless ammunition cartridge comprising, a cylindrical molded propellent charge, a projectile located within said molded charge, a forward propellant seal extending across said molded charge forwardly of said projectile, a primer cup extending across said molded charge rearwardly of said projectile, and a propellant support tube lining a predetermined length of said molded charge between said forward propellant seal and primer cup, sad support tube surrounding sad projectile.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said molded charge and forward seal are made from a single base propellant, and said support tube is made from a double base propellant.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said molded charge and forward seal are made from a single base propellant, and said primer cup contains an explosive charge and a priming charge, each of said priming cup charges having a respective seal therefor, said explosive charge seal being positioned rearwardly adjacent a base portion of said projectile.

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